Lathe sanding disk

ABSTRACT

A lathe sanding disk is defined as an attachment to a chuck provided for use on a lathe device. The lathe sanding disk includes a generally circular form and has a substantially planer front face and a rear face positioned opposite of the rear face. An engagement flange is formed on the rear face of the disk. The engagement flange includes an inner flange surface that is adapted to receive the corresponding engagement surfaces of the lathe chuck. The engagement of the chuck with the engagement flange secures the disk to the chuck for rotation by the lathe. Upon engagement on the chuck, the front face of the disk forms an exposed work surface.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a sanding structure that is attachable to a chuck of a wood lathe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A lathe is a tool that rotates a workpiece about an axis of rotation to perform various operations such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, deformation, facing, and turning. A tool is applied to the workpiece to create an object with symmetry about that axis. Lathes are typically used in woodturning. The workpiece is usually held in place by either one or two centers, at least one of which can typically be moved horizontally to accommodate varying workpiece lengths. A chuck is a common device used to hold the workpiece.

A chuck is a specialized type of clamp and is used to hold an object with radial symmetry. In drills and mills, the chuck holds the rotating tool. In lathes, the chuck holds the rotating workpiece. On a lathe the chuck is mounted on the spindle which rotates within the headstock. A chuck used in a lathe is typically self-centering and uses dogs or jaws to engage the outside surface or an inside surface of the workpiece. The jaws are interconnected and each move radially during activation. An example of a four jaw chuck is shown in FIG. 2. This chuck structure may be used as part of any number of lathes, including the wood lathes manufactured and sold by Grizzly Industrial, Inc. of Bellingham, Wash., Teknatool International Ltd. of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Penn State Industries of Philadelphia, Pa.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A disk is defined as an attachment to a chuck provided on a lathe device. The lathe disk has a generally circular form and includes a substantially planer front face and a rear face positioned opposite of the rear face. An engagement flange is formed on the rear face of the disk. The engagement flange includes an inner flange surface that is adapted to receive the corresponding engagement surfaces of the chuck attached to the lathe. The engagement of the chuck and the engagement flange secures the disk to the chuck for rotation by the lathe. Upon engagement on the chuck, the front face of the disk forms an exposed work surface.

The engagement flange may have an annular form that is substantially co-axial with the axis of the disk. Further, the inner flange surface may be annularly formed. The engagement flange may projects from the rear surface of the disk. The disk may have any desired diameter, with a diameter of 10 or 12 inches being preferred. The front face of the disk is adapted to receive a sanding disk, which may be attached to the front face by an adhesive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a number of forms which are presently preferred; it being understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a lathe sanding disk as contemplated by the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a lathe chuck member.

FIG. 3 is a cross section view of the lathe sanding disk as illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross section view of the lathe sanding disk of FIGS. 1 and 3 engaged on the lathe chuck of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, where like numerals identify like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a lathe sanding disk, which is generally referred to by the numeral 10. In FIG. 1, the lathe sanding disk 10 is shown with an engagement flange 12 formed on the rear surface 14. The lathe sanding disk 10 is formed for attachment to a chuck 20 of the type shown in FIG. 2. The lathe sanding disk 10 is preferably machined from steel and has an integrated one piece construction.

The chuck 20 includes a series of four jaws 22 that each move radially within a slot 24 formed in the face 26 of the chuck 20. Movement of the jaws 22 is created by the adjustment screws 28. Preferably, movement of each jaw 22 is synchronized to center a work piece (not shown) or the lathe sanding disk (as discussed below). The jaws 22 each include a center engagement surface 30 for locking a workpiece centrally, with the jaws surrounding the workpiece. An outer engagement surface 32 is provided on each of the jaws 22. The outer surfaces 32 are used to engage an internal surface on an open or hollow workpiece. In the present disclosure the outer engagement surfaces 32 are used to engage the inner surface 18 of the engagement flange 12 on the lathe sanding disk 10.

A cross sectional view of the lathe sanding disk 10 is shown in FIG. 3. The engagement flange 12 projects from the rear surface 14 of the disk 10. The front surface 16, opposite the rear surface 14, is shown attached to a sanding disk 40. The sanding disk 40 is attached to the front face 16 of the lathe sanding disk 10 by an adhesive 42. The sanding disk 40 includes an abrasive surface 44, of the type commonly known in the art. Adhesive backed sanding disks are often used in other applications and may include any number of abrasives materials and qualities.

As more particularly shown in FIG. 4, the lathe sanding disk 10 is secured to the chuck 20 by means of the engagement of the jaws 22 with the engagement flange 12 on the rear surface 14. The jaws 22 are first retracted sufficiently to fit radially within the flange 12. As the jaws 22 are expanded radially outward, the outer engagement surfaces 32 contact the inner flange surfaces 18. Preferably, the angle of the outer jaw surfaces 32 and the undercut of the inner flange surface 18 match one another so as to facilitate the engagement. The outer surface 32 of the chuck 20 is typically angled at 10 degrees with respect to the rotational of the chuck. The inner flange surface 18 is preferably formed at the same angle. The chuck 20 forms a dovetail during the engagement of the inner flange surface 18, preventing axial movement of the disk once engaged on the chuck. The undercut on the inner flange surface 18 is particularly illustrated in FIG. 3 and the engagement with the outer surface 32 of the jaws 22 is illustrated in FIG. 4. This overlap creates an axial retention of the disk 10 on the chuck 20 and secured the disk during rotation of the chuck 20 by the lathe (not shown). Once secured, the sanding disk (FIG. 3) is exposed on the front surface 16 of the lathe sanding disk 10, which is secured to the chuck 20.

The engagement flange 12 as shown includes an annular form that is substantially co-axial with the axis of the lathe sanding disk 10. The inner flange surface 18 also preferably includes an annular form. The engagement flange 12 is shown as projecting from the rear surface of the disk. However, the flange may be recessed in the rear surface. The disk may have any desired diameter, with a diameter of 10 or 12 inches being preferred, with diameters of up to 20 inches being possible. The front face of the disk is generally planner and is adapted to receive the sanding disk via an adhesive formed on one face of the disk. The diameter of the engagement flange is also preferably dimension to accommodate varying chuck sizes, including chuck of 50 millimeters and 100 millimeters. The lathe sanding disk may also accommodate use with both three jaw and four jaw chucks.

The lathe sanding disk affords the lathe user the convenience of quickly removing a workpiece that is fixed for turning on the lathe and attaching the lathe sanding disk directly to the lathe chuck. This attachment is performed by using the chuck, and replaces known operations requiring the removal of the chuck. The sanding disk attached to the front face of the lathe sanding disk may be used to further sand or form the workpiece. The contemplated lathe sanding disk mounted to the lathe chuck is useful—for example—in segmented turning operations, where there is often a need to flatten a ring prior to gluing up the next layer of rings.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a number of embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, these terms are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. The scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A lathe sanding disk for attachment to a chuck provided on a lathe, comprising a circular disk member having a substantially planer front face and an rear face positioned opposite of the rear face; an engagement flange formed on the rear face of the disk; an inner flange surface formed on the engagement flange to receive corresponding engagement surfaces of the lathe chuck, wherein the engagement for the chuck with the engagement flange secures the disk to the chuck for rotation by the lathe and exposing the front face.
 2. A lathe sanding disk as in claim 1 wherein the engagement flange includes an annular form that is substantially co-axial with the axis of the circular disk.
 3. A lathe sanding disk as in claim 2 wherein the inner flange surface is annularly formed.
 4. A lathe sanding disk as in claim 3 wherein inner flange surface is formed with at an undercut inner angle.
 5. A Lather sanding disk as in claim 4 wherein the undercut inner angle of the engagement flange matches an exterior angle of jaws on the chuck attached to the lathe.
 6. A Lather sanding disk as in claim 4 wherein the undercut inner angle of the engagement flange is about 10 degrees.
 7. A lathe sanding disk as in claim 1 wherein the engagement flange projects from the rear surface of the disk.
 8. A lathe sanding disk as in claim 1 wherein the disk has a diameter of at least 10 inches.
 9. A lathe sanding disk as in claim 1 wherein the disk has a diameter of 12 inches.
 10. A lathe sanding disk as in claim 1 wherein the front face of the disk is adapted to receive an adhesive backed sanding disk. 